MIAMI, April 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Torque Esports’ (OTCQB: MLLLF) (TSXV: GAME) virtual esports racing series will be shown live on TV for the first time in a new broadcast partnership with the Disney-owned, ESPN.

Starting this Saturday (April 11), The Race All-Star Series – Fully Charged by ROKiT Phones will reach millions of homes via a new airtime-for-content partnership with ESPN (NYSE: DIS). Saturday’s All-Star Cup and Legends Trophy races will be shown live on ESPN2 from 12:00 noon US Eastern time and replayed Sunday on ESPN2 at 1pm ET.

Created to fill the motorsport entertainment void caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Torque Esports was on “pole” as the first to create a live-streamed event to fill the racing void on March 15 when major events were canceled including the opening rounds of the Formula 1 and IndyCar championship.

Now known as The Race All-Star Series – Fully Charged by ROKiT Phones – the Torque Esports-created series has become the first broadcast esports racing event to reach more than 600 million homes around the world.

The Torque Esports events feature two separate competitions – the All-Star Cup, which pits the leading stars from Formula 1, Formula E, IndyCar, sportscars, and more against the world’s top sim racers; and the Legends Trophy.

Last week’s Legends field had a combined record of three Formula 1 World Championship titles, 1076 race starts, 47 wins, 41 pole positions; eight IndyCar championships, 1414 race starts, 124 wins, and 11 Indy 500 victories; as well as 16 wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“For more than 40 years, ESPN has been the leader in sports with its groundbreaking coverage, and we’re immensely proud to have The Race All-Star Series – Fully Charged by ROKiT Phones now shown live on the network,” Torque Esports President and CEO, Darren Cox said about the new airtime-for-content partnership with ESPN.

“When we debuted our esports racing events, our live streaming numbers were off the charts, and now our agreement with ESPN along with our entire international broadcast package is taking virtual racing to an unprecedented global audience.

“This is an incredible opportunity for Torque Esports to introduce this genre of racing to new fans around the world. Many ESPN viewers have watched the likes of Fittipaldi, Villeneuve, Montoya, Franchitti, Castroneves, and more before but never all together in such an incredible field.

“We’re also introducing the stars of tomorrow to fans too. ESPN viewers saw the journey of World’s Fastest Gamer winner Rudy van Buren as he earned his title in 2017 – now they get to see him and the rest of the world’s top esports racers fight with top real-world racing stars as well.”

Along with the exciting ESPN live broadcast news, The Race All-Star Series – Fully Charged by ROKiT Phones yesterday revealed it would evolve into a full championship series from this weekend.

A three-race championship series will feature professional racers competing against the world’s top sim racers. Points will be awarded after each week, with the pro racing champion crowned at the end of three weeks being awarded a US$30,000 prize to be given to the charity of their choice.

The top-performing sim racer will receive a full day’s test in a Formula 1 team’s simulator including flights to the UK and accommodation (subject to the lifting of travel restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic)

Legends racers will also compete for their favorite charity with a weekly US$10,000 prize on offer for the winner of the opening race.

Saturday’s The Race All-Star Cup – Fully Charged by ROKiT Phones event will be held at the rFactor 2 version of Sebring International Raceway from 17:00 UK, 18:00 CET, 12:00 US Eastern, 9:00 US Pacific, 13:00 Brazil, 00:00 China, 1:00 Japan and 2:00 Australian East Coast time.

Torque aims to revolutionize esports racing and the racing gaming genre via its industry-leading gaming studio Eden Games which focuses on mobile racing games and its unique motorsport IP, including World’s Fastest Gamer (created and managed by wholly-owned subsidiary IDEAS+CARS, Silverstone UK). With the proposed acquisition of simulator company AiS – Torque offers gamers everything from Free to Play mobile games to the highest end simulators.

Building on the leading position of Stream Hatchet, a wholly-owned subsidiary, Torque also provides robust esports data and management information to brands, sponsors, and industry leaders. Its tournament organizing arm, UMG, has recently added a digital tournament platform to its portfolio of assets in its ever-growing ecosystem.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Torque to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our expectations with respect to the completion of further tranches of the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that additional closings of the Offering will occur, or that it will occur on the terms and conditions contemplated in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release.

Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on other factors that could affect the operations or financial results of the parties are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Torque does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.